Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Tis' the Season


Tis' the season! You can hear the bells of the Salvation Army Santas on every street corner and in the background holiday music declaring, "it's the most wonderful time of the year!" The doors in upstate New York are adorned with giant burly wreaths and red bows, bells and a brush of snow. The damp footing of soft flakes, the imprint of a boot, snowmen lining the streets with carrot noses and twig arms all in the great spirit of winter.
When I walk into a Macy's even the sales clerk looks happy to sell me a pair of boots that any other time of year might be just an annoyance. "Do you have these in a size eleven?" I ask and she gleams at me in her sugar plum haze as if I have offered her unredeemed lottery tickets in place of the petite italian shoe. There is something about the holiday spirit that is infectious, that takes over the country for one month a year and transforms us into this culture that you might only find shrunken and hiding within the confines of a mini dollhouse. The qualms, family fights and the residue from the rest of the year subside while we prepare for a final yearly celebration.
Even in my small one bedroom apartment I have finally given way to the seasons joy and let it overcome me as I decorate each corner with colorful lights, fake spruce branches with even faker looking pine cones and of course bells covered in an outpour of golden glitter. I have succumbed to the winter's happy refreshing spirit that she brings with the cold brisk morning sun each day. Even each night as the dark creeps in earlier than I am comfortable with, I am joyful to see the lights go on outside every home, angel wings adorning the town church and menorahs glimmering from the temple window.
I have heard people say that the holiday season is a tough time of year for those who have lost loved ones and I completely agree - however in many ways it unites those of us who are around and brings us together! There is this insane sense of connection that happens when Nat King Cole is on in the background, the supermarket is suddenly stocking egg nog like it's always been there, and the wrapping paper is running thin.
Why wait till' New Years to make resolutions and wishes? Enjoy the moment! This season is a season of hibernation but it is also a time of connection and community. Perhaps it is the perfect time to give a gift to someone you usually wouldn't, buy yourself a snow globe just for the fun of it, bake cookies, donate to a new charity, make someone a card and send it or go home turn the strands of lights on, lay back and "let your heart be light."

3 comments:

Erin said...

Amen! You have captured the magic of the season in one beautiful piece of writing. :) This was so uplifting! Thank you, Eri. :)

Erica Mazzeo said...

Thank you Eri! I'm so happy you enjoyed it and thank you for your constant feedback!

jess said...

Eri, I love this! Your words are so inspiring and capture the true essence of what this is all about. I'm going to go buy myself a snow globe!!!!!